Best Catfish Baits

Catfish baits vary with the species. The catfish have different baits they like best. Improving your chances with the right baits does help. People overlook that catfish have preferences in what they eat. Using the wrong choice in bait catches fish. Yet it will be fewer fish you catch.

Catfish have a good sense of smell. They have very good visions also. The fish will use scent to find the general area with food. Then use sight to feed. Flatheads are a predator and use sight for feeding.

The above table shows the general baits people use. A few of the baits need to be live or prepared. It is worth the time if one of the better baits for the species.

Some baits are regional. You will find areas with large populations of some species. In other places, the bait may not be present. Use a bait found in the water. Successful catfish anglers catch the bait from the waters or a tributary, they plan to fish.

Channel Catfish Baits

Channel catfish are common in North America. People enjoy catching and eating these fish. The fish tends to be 16-24 inches but gets bigger. It is not uncommon to catch a fish over 30 inches.

Channel cats are omnivores. They eat anything but do prefer some foods over others. Minnows, nightcrawlers, and chicken are the better baits. Chicken liver is a popular choice. But you need to cure the liver or use a mesh to keep it on the hook.

Flathead Catfish Baits

As mentioned, flatheads are predators. The fish prefers live prey but will eat cut bait also. The fish has a lower population than other catfish. It is important to use the right bait to improve your odds.

Note; Do not move flatheads to other waterways. They harm some species. This is a problem in regions throughout the U.S.

Study the waters in your area. What is the prey in the waterways? Flatheads prefer the prey 4-8 inches. Use live bluegill, skipjack, or shad for bait. These baits catch flatheads more often than anything else. Creek chubs and sucker work well also.

Blue Catfish Baits

Blue catfish have a limited range. People confuse large channels with blue catfish. Check if the waterway has blues. You do need to know which fish it is for fishing techniques.

Blues tend to be open water species. A channel catfish is not known to be an open water fish. In other words, you need the bait in the right place.

You find blues in the southern or midwest of the US. The waterways usually have skipjack or shad also. These baitfish allow blues to grow large and fast. These are the best baits to use. The bait works live or as cut bait. If shad or skipjack is not available, use bluegills or other larger baitfish.

Bullheads

Bullhead catfish are the smaller catfish. In some regions, they are common, and in others rare. The fish is an omnivore eating anything it finds.

It is common to catch bullheads with worms, nightcrawlers, minnows, and homemade baits. If you find a spot with bullheads, you will catch the fish easily. They tend to stay in larger schools being smaller in size.

Conclusions

The bait you use does make a difference. Identify the species present in your waterways. Find the fish’s habitat and use the best bait. This helps to catch more catfish.